Normally planted by a Disney blockbuster tentpole, the first weekend of November this year looks to suffer from a Halloween hangover. Terminator: Dark Fate [TERM6] leads the crop this year, but the yet-another-reboot of the sci-fi series has a tall order to recoup its $185 million production budget. Linda Hamilton returns in her iconic role of Sarah Connor along with the irrepressible Arnold Schwarzenegger as yet another T-800. The last installment Terminator: Genysis opened on a July Wednesday to a $27 million weekend. The 2015 PG-13 rated reboot was so poorly received that it has irrevocably damaged the franchise. Despite favorable reviews, only the hardcore fans are likely to check out the new R-rated reboot. Marching into 4086 theaters, Terminator: Dark Fate could claim $35 million.
Heading its third weekend, Maleficent: Mistress of Evil [MALF2] looks to finish at about $11.5 million, ahead of Joker [JOKER.BW] with around $11 million.
Abolitionist Harriet Tubman finally gets a feature biopic, Harriet [HARET] starring Cynthia Erivo [CERIV]. The PG-13 rated drama has garnered good reviews and could be an awards contender for Focus Features. Harriet looks to bank $8.5 million from 2086 locations.
Edward Norton [ENORT] deliveres his passion project Motherless Brooklyn [MOBRK] to the big screen after 20 years in development hell. A R-rated period drama from a major studio targeted at older adults is a dying breed. Motherless Brooklyn's performance could prove why for Warner Bros.. Opening in just 1342 theaters, Motherless Brooklyn looks to earn $6 million.
Entertainment Studios targets families with the PG-rated Arctic Dogs [AJTS]. Even with a starry voice cast, animated films from independent studios rarely breakout. Arctic Dogs may deliver $5 million from 2844 theaters.
The two sophomore releases The Countdown [CTDWN] and Black and Blue [BLABL] are both likely to decline more than 50% to settle around $4 million.
A24 continues to expand The Lighthouse [LITHS], going wide in its third weekend to 978 theaters. With strong word of mouth, the horror could bring in another $3 million.
That’s the whisper on the virtual trading floor.
Tag(s): TERM6, MALF2, HARET, CERIV, ENORT, MOBRK, AJTS, CTDWN, BLABL, LITHS